Three children died of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) over the past week in east China's Shandong Province, health authorities said Monday, bringing the toll from this year's outbreak to 36 in the worst-affected province.

The three new deaths -- two in Linyi City and one in Weifang City -- occurred from May 18 to 24, the Shandong Provincial Health Department said.

No further details, such as gender or age, were available.

Total deaths from HFMD this year in Shandong include 19 in Heze, seven in Linyi, three in Liaocheng, two each in Jining and Tai'an, and one in Dezhou, Weifang and Yantai, according to the department.

In the past week, the province reported 4,870 new cases, 537 more than in the previous week from May 11 to 17. Shandong has reported more than 48,457 cases of the contagious disease this year. So far, 43,352 of them have recovered.

HFMD is a common illness that mainly affects children under the age of 10. Symptoms include fever, sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters. Complications can be fatal. May and July are peak periods for the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2009)